Chumby
WiFi
Having the internet on your computer wasn’t enough. Neither was getting it on planes, or on your phone. Now you can even get it in your plush toys, thanks to Chumby, a cuddly, coffee-cup-sized box with a screen implanted in its middle. The loveable and hackable Chumby connects to your WiFi and displays information-like news, weather, or your favorite RSS feeds-while liberating you from the constraints of your computer. Connectivity has never been so cute.$180chumby.com
Soda-Club Home Soda Maker
beverages
It’s every child’s dream to live in a house with a soda fountain, and now you can come close to fulfilling that desire with this home soda maker, which will inject carbonation into any liquid you see fit to use. We recommend you skip the soda (because soda is really, really bad for you) and indulge your inner molecular gastronomist with creations like carbonated soup. Just make sure you warn your family about the fizzy milk you left in the fridge.$80sodaclubusa.com
Zingerman’s Z Club
delicacies
Zingerman’s, the legendary deli of Ann Arbor, Michigan, now offers the Z Club, which sends sub-scribers a quarterly package of eight to 10 rare and hard-to-find foodstuffs from around the world. Anything from a specialty raw-milk cheese to award-winning small-batch olive oil might be included. Just hope your fresh clams get through the mail quickly.$600/yearzingermans.com
Ultreo Ultrasound Toothbrush
hygiene
When a certain Panamanian dictator took refuge from American troops inside the Vatican Embassy, U.S. soldiers blasted heavy metal music in an attempt to drive him from hiding. The Ultreo toothbrush works much the same way: Think of your plaque as Noriega. The Ultreo’s ultrasonic pulses activate the bubbles created by your toothpaste, which help them remove far more plaque than pedestrian techniques like soundless brushing or rubbing your teeth with your finger. Behold the power of sound.$170ultreo.com
Earthkeepers
kickers
Timberland, long the favorite footwear of, paradoxically, construction workers and hip-hop stylists, is now targeting the eco-conscious market (this has been, since 2007, mandatory for any major company). These waterproof Tims are made from organic cotton, with a partially recycled sole, but they make you look tougher than most organic clothing does. Hopefully, this is just a first step. If you can make one line of recycled shoes, why not make all your shoes recycled and call it a day?$160timberland.com
One Laptop Per Child
computing
Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of MIT’s Media Lab, has finally completed his latest and most impressive attempt to change the world with technology. His much ballyhooed XO laptop is cheap, tough, and easy to use (it eschews standard operating systems for open-source software). It’s made to give children in the developing world access to the internet and a way to learn about computers that’s quick and easy. The adorable, WiFi-enabled XO isn’t currently available for sale in the United States (but keep your fingers crossed). However, you can easily make a tax-deductible donation and give a laptop to a child.$200olpc.com
Slanket
coziness
In prehistoric times, a shivering caveman pulled a piece of mammoth skin over himself to ward off the cold-thus was born the blanket. Like the wheel, the blanket seems like an invention that could not be improved upon. But you didn’t think of putting sleeves on a blanket, did you? That’s the genius of the Slanket, the Sky Mall-endorsed fleece blanket that goes where no covering has gone before-around your arms. Now you never need to get a chill when you reach for your drink or the remote. That’s progress.$45theslanket.com
Les Diners de Gala
libraries
In between painting melting clocks and waxing his moustache, Salvador Dalí created Les Diners de Gala, a cookbook with appropriately decadent recipes for dishes like escalope of foie gras wrapped in chicken, all accompanied by typically surreal depictions of his creations. The book is, oddly, out of print, but a copy can be garnered for about a hundred dollars at your local used book dealer or sites like alibris.com.from $100alibris.com
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Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
The online community came through in a big way.
Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.
“A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”
His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.
Otis knew before they did. Canva Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.
So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”
The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.
Any chance your wife is pregnant?
ZZBC | Reddit
The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!
“The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”
Redditors responded with similar experiences.
Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.
realityisworse | Reddit
So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?
Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”
The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.
This article originally appeared last year.
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When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.
Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.
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